Lock nut



Sept. 18, 1951 2,567,933

0. D. GRAY LOCK NUT Filed March 27, 1946 Patented Sept. 18, 1951 OrrinD. Gray, Chicago, 111. Original application September 23, 1944, SerialDivided and this application March 27, 1946, Serial No. 657,488

This invention relates to a lock nut which is simple and dependable inoperation, and inexpensive to produce. In essence, the lock is a spring,in assembled relationship with a nut, exerting a force which proceedstoward the associated bolt to establish therewith an enhanced frictionalresistance whereby to oppose rotation of the nut, either direction. Thespring which may be in the form of a ring is carried by the nut, andduring rotary advance of the nut, either way, may be distorted by theoperating tool sufficiently to relax its tension upon the bolt. A springlock of this character may be associated with the nut either separablyor nonseparably. It is readily adaptable to quantity production, and inuse may be advanced with the nut to or from its final position with aminimum of effort. A prior disclosure of my invention herein claimed wasset forth in my application filed September 23, 1944, Serial No.555,493, now Patent No. 2,443,614, issued June 22, 1948, of which thiscase is a division.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from the'descriptionto follow, taken in conjunction with the showings in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein the present lock nut is set forth in various forms, asfollows:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form of the present lock nut inoperative position upon a coacting bolt;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the bolt with the nut fittedthereon, taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, taken on line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 5, through abolt whereon is fitted a second form of lock nut;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig.4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section, taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 7, through abolt whereon is fitted a third form of lock nut;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, taken on line 1! of Fig.6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section, taken on line 88 of Fig. 9, through abolt whereon is fitted a fourth form of lock nut;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view, the ring being sectioned on line 9-9 ofFig. 8 and the nut and bolt being shown in elevation;

14 Claims. (Cl. 15124) Fig. 12 is a transverse section through a seventhform of lock nut as it appears when off its coacting bolt.

The principle underlying the present lock nut in all of its forms is theapplication of frictional pressure to a bolt at one or morecircumferential points through the instrumentality of a spring ring,continuous or otherwise, that may be carried upon the nut which is to befrictionally locked thereto, the ring being continuously interlockedwith the nut against relative rotary movement for rotation with the nutand consequent movement lengthwise of the bolt; the ring is alsodistortable at spaced points, with the aid of a suitable wrenchemployed'for operation of the nut, to relax at other points its pressureupon the bolt whereby the nut, during its operating move- 'ments, mayadvance (either way) substantially free of frictional resistance. It isof importance that the spring ring be assembled with the nut in such away as to advance therewith. While it is optional whether the ring beconnected separably or inseparably to the nut, its position relative tothe bolt is always such as to exert thereon a substantially radialresilient nut-locking pressure in all positions of the nut, thispressure being relaxable only at such moments as the nut undergoesadjusting manipulations with the aid of a proper tool. With thesepreliminary observations, I will now pass on to a. detailed descriptionof the lock nut in a number of its various formsseveral of which aresuggested in the accompanying drawing.

The bolt B herein illustrated in all of the figures is of conventionalconstruction in that it comprises a shank having a threaded end portionadapted to receive thereon a polygonally faced nut N provided with anaxial bore wherein are formed cooperating threads. The nut may beprovided at one end with a radially distortable collar extension 0through which the threaded axial bore is continued. A nut of the kindwith which I am here concerned may be produced economically inquantities, desirably from mild steel, and no special problem isinvolved in its manufacture.

In Fig. 1-4, the nut collar 0 is circumferentially continuous, but inother forms, such as illustrated in Figs. 6, 8 and 10, it is interruptedby wide gaps a or slots 5. In Fig. 6, for example, the opposite gaps areextended parallel with the nut axis whereby the remaining collarportions are in the form of two curved tongues t also extended parallelwith the nut axis. According to Figs. 8 and 9, the slot 8 is in bayonetform, extending 3 first inwardly from the collar free end and thenlaterally to define an arcuate tongue t. In the showing of Fig. 10, theslots s are parallel with the nut axis, two being in closely spacedrelation diametrically opposite two others, the arrangement being suchas to provide two narrow tongues 75. I may also form in the nut collar ashallow, circumferential groove g, preferably near the free end thereof,for purposes which will presently appear.

To frictionally hold the nut against rotation upon its associated boltin all adjusted positions thereupon, I employ a spring ring R,continuous or otherwise. As shown in Figs. 1-11, the ring is fittedwithin the shallow circumferential groove 9 so as to remain'inseparablylocked to the nut. The contours of the ring and of the surrounding nutcollar 0, while variable within rather wide limits, should be designedfor coaction to produce on the associated bolt frictional pressure in adegree requisite for locking purposes, and this feature of my inventionwill now be discussed.

The distortable nut collar 0 shown in Figs. 1-3 is normally slightlyelliptical in contour as is also the coacting spring ring R which isfitted closely thereto. The material and thickness of the nut collar issuch as to be yieldable inwardly or outwardly in response to pressuresdirected radially (or substantially so) at one or more points.Interiorly the collar short diameter is slightly less than the boltdiameter, so that when the nut is assembled upon the bolt, the collar isdistorted to a substantially circular contour. The elliptical ring R isfitted in place about the collar c with its long axis substantiallyaligned therewith, the relationship being such that distortion of thecollar 0 is opposed by the spring ring R whose tension force is exertedinwardly against the collar to enhance its frictional engagement withthe bolt B. The material of which the nut is made will ordinarily havebut little, if any, resiliency consequently it would be incapable in andof itself, to exert any tensional force directed against the bolt, butthe presence of the surrounding spring ring will supply a requisiteresiliency, exerted against the collar, to maintain the latter againstthe bolt with a high degree of frictional pressure. The lock nut soproduced will accordingly tend to resist rotation from any adjustedposition which it may occupy upon the bolt. In Figs. 4 and 5 thedistortable nut collar is normally elliptical in contour the same asthat of the spring ring, but the ratio of long diameter of the ring tothat of the collar is here somewhat greater than in the construction ofFigs. 2 and 3 in order to provide a wider range of resilient action. Thetendency here is the same as that already described, viz., to resistoutward expansion of the collar 0 along its short diameter thereby tomaintain at such points an enhanced frictional resistance with the bolt.

The interrupted collar 0 of Figs. 6 and '7 provides opposite relativelywide tongues t which are initially pressed inwardly so that the spacetherebetween is slightly less than the diameter of the associated bolt.In response to the tension force of the surrounding ring R, whose normalcontour may be round or otherwise, a resilient resistance to outwardspreading of the tongues is provided. The wide gaps or between thecurved tongues t afiord clearances into which the spring ring may bedistorted, in response to properly directed opposed pressures, wherebyto relax its pressure elsewhere, i. e., at the two tongues t. In

Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a single tongue t, extending arcuately of thecollar 0, subject to the inwardly directed pressure of the surroundingspring ring R whose contour may be round or otherwise. This tongue maybe initially bent inwardly, the same as described for the tongues ofFigs. 6 and '7, or be bent inwardly after assembly of the spring ringwith the nut. Desirably the ring is formed to bear with pressure againstthe tongue at or near its free end, and for this purpose I may provide aslight boss 22 which also engages with the slot to maintain the ringagainst rotation relative to the collar. And in Fig. 10, the relativelynarrow tongues t are adapted to receive pressure from spaced bosses 19formed on the surrounding spring ring which, as shown, has a normalelliptical contour. In every case an enhanced frictional pressure at oneor more points is imposed upon the associated bolt such as to cause thenut to remain locked thereupon in any selected adjusted position.

According to Fig. 11 the nut collar is formed with two relatively closeslots s to define between them a tongue 15 thicker at its outer end thanthe remainder of the collar and therefore adapted to be forced outwardlyby the bolt against the surrounding spring ring R which is fitted withinthe shallow circumferential groove 9, the same as already described inconnection with Figs. 1-10. Elsewhere the collar is continuous exceptopposite the tongue where an opening 0 communicating with the groove isprovided to receive a lug Z which is inwardly extended from the ring fordirect engagement with the bolt. By such a construction the spring ringexerts pressure against the bolt, both directly and indirectly at widelyspaced circumferential points. In applying the nut of Fig. 11 to thebolt, the lug Z should be in cooperative engagement with the boltthreads before the ring is distorted to its normal operative conditionby the outward thrust of the tongue, thus obviating the necessity fordistorting the ring with a special wrench for the purpose ofapplication.

The nut collar of Fig. 12 is flatted at 1 upon opposite sides, andintermediately thereof is formed with two pairs of slots s to defineopposed narrow tongues t which are extended in parallelism with eachother and with the nut axis. The thickness of these tongues may beincreased toward their free ends, the effect in either case being tonarrow the intervening space progressively toward the free end of thecollar so that advance of the bolt therethrough will force a spreadingapart of the two tongues. The surrounding spring ring R, of round,elliptical, or other contour, will resiliently oppose any such spreadingmovement, thereby imposing a high degree of frictional pressure upon thebolt.

In each of the constructions thus far described, the spring forceoperates indirectly through the distortable collar to transmit to thebolt the frictional pressure that is relied upon to lock the nut inplace. By employing a wrench having means for distorting the ring out ofits normal contour, the collar itself may remain undistorted whilerotation of the nut upon the bolt proceeds. This makes it possible torotate the nut, either way, substantially free of frictional resistancewith the bolt, and to utilize in such movements a torsional forcecomparable with that which is customarily required for an ordinary nutof the non-dockingtype. It is only when such a wrench is disengaged fromthe nut 5 that the ring is free .to exert its: spring force tofrictionally lock the nut to the bolt. For details of severalembodiments of a wrench which may be advantageously used foroperation ofthe present lock nut, see my co-pending application filed September 23,1944, Serial No. 555,494, now Patent No. 2,528,430, dated October 31,1950. g

In each of the various forms of lock nutherein discussed, there is aspring ring exerting upon the bolt a resilient pressure forceflwhich isrelaxable in varying degrees by anappropriate tool whereby to free thenut for facile adjustment upon the bolt. The material of which the nutis formed possesses little or no resiliency, although it is yieldable orbendable to some extent. By itself the nut is incapable of lockingresiliently with the bolt; the spring ring is relied upon for thispurpose. When in locking relation with the bolt the spring serveseffectively to oppose rotation of the nut, and continues indefinitely todo so. It is only when the spring ring is compressed properly, as withthe use of a special tool, that relaxation of the rings resilientpressure engagement with the bolt takes place. This compression mayobviously be brought about by inward pressures at opposite points uponthe ring or by outward pressures at opposite points upon the collar.When the ring exerts its pressure upon the collar, rather than upon thebolt, it should desirably be continuous and endless in order to developthe necessary force.

I claim:

1. For use upon a threaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut formed with acollar of elliptical cross sectional contour through which, at pointsaligned with the long diameter thereof, are spaced openings definingtongues inwardly and outwardly movable toward and from the bolt forpressure engagement therewith, and an elliptical spring ring having itslong diameter of a length less than the diameter of the nut so as not toproject radially beyond the nut and interlocked inseparably with the nutfor rotation therewith but not independently of the same and fittedaround the collar in resilient nut-locking pressure engagement therewithat points aligned with its short diameter, said ring being-distort:

able solely by exteriorly applied compression into threaded nut formedwith a collar having a tongue and provided with spaces at opposite sidesof the tongue, said tongue being movable toward and from the bolt forpressure engagement therewith, and a continuous spring ring of adiameter less than that of the nuts so as not to projectradially beyondthe nut and interlocked inseparably with the nut for rotation therewithbut not independently thereof and surrounding the collar in a planetransversely of its axis in resilient pressure engagement with thetongue and effecting a nut-locking pressure engagement of the tonguewith the bolt, said spring ring being distortable solely by exteriorlyapplied compression at opposite sides of the tongue and relieving thebolt of said nut-locking engagement of said tongue to permit facileadjustment of the nut on the bolt.

3. For use with a threaded bolt, a coating threaded nut formed with acollar through which is an opening defining a. tongue inwardly andoutwardly movable toward and from the .bolt forpressure engagementtherewith, and a continuous spring ring of a diametervgless than that ofthe nut so as not to. project radially beyond the nut and,interlocked,inseparably with the nut for .ro-.- tation therewith butnotindependently thereof and mounted on thecollar in resilient pressureengagement with the tongue and effecting a nutlocking pressureengagement of the tongue with the, bolt, said ring being. distortablesolely by. exteriorly applied; compression, at opposite sides into saidopening and, relieving the bolt of said nut-r-locking pressure of thetongue to permit facile rotation of the nut on the bolt.

4. For, use with athreaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut formed with acollar through which areslots parallel with its axis extending to thecollar endto define a plurality of tongues mov;- able toward and.fromthe bolt for pressure engagement therewith, the distance outwardlyfrom the nut axis to the tongues being decreased toward the free endsthereof, and a continuous spring ring of a diameter less than that ofthe nut so as not to project radially beyond the nut and interlockedinseparably with the nut for rotation therewith but not independentlythereof and surrounding the collar in pressure engagement with thetongues and effecting a nut-locking'pressure engagement of the tongueswith the bolt for resisting rotation of the nut on the bolt, there beingspaces between the ring and the collar at points intermediately of thetongues and the ring being distortable solely by exteriorly appliedcompression inwardly into such spaces whereby to elongate elsewhere forrelaxation of its pressure against the tongues and relieve the bolt ofthe nut-locking pressure of the tongues to permit. facile rotation ofthe nut on the bolt.

5; For use upon a threaded bolt, a coacting; threaded nut formed with acollar having a lateral opening and, spaced therefrom, a tongue movabletoward and from the bolt for pressure engagement therewith, a springring of a diameter less than that of the nut so as not to projectradially beyond the nut and interlocked inseparably with the nut forrotation therewith but not independently thereof and surrounding thecollar in a plane transversely of its axis in resilient pressureengagement with the tongue for maintaining the latter in pressureengagement with .the bolt, and a lug extending inwardly of the ringthrough the lateral opening of the collar and maintained by the springring in resilient pressure engagement with the bolt, said ring beingdistortable solely by exteriorly applied compression to relieve the boltof nut-locking pressure engagement of the tongue and the lug to permitfacile rotation of the nut on the bolt.

6. For use upon a threaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut formed with acollar having a lateral opening and, spaced therefrom, a tongue movabletoward and from .the bolt for pressure engagement therewith, the tonguethickness exceeding that of the collar whereby in response topressure'from the bolt the tongue exterior face is required to standoutwardly beyond the corre sponding face of the collar, a spring ring ofa diameter less than that of the nut so as not to project radiallybeyond the nut and interlocked inseparably with the nut for rotationtherewith but not independently thereof and surrounding the collar in aplane transversely of its axis in resilient pressure engagement with thetongue for maintaining the latter in pressure engagement with the'bolt,and a lug extending inwardly of the ring through the lateral opening ofthe collar and maintained by the spring ring in resilient pressureengagement with the bolt, saidvring being distortable solely byexteriorly applied compression to relieve the bolt of nut-lockingpressure engagement of the tongue and the lugto permit facile rotationof the nut on the bolt;

7. For use upon a threaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut formed with acollar having a lateral opening and, opposite thereto, a tongue movabletoward and from the bolt for pressure engagement therewith, a springringof a diameter less than that of the nut so as not to projectradially beyond the nut and interlocked inseparably with the nut forrotation therewith but not independently thereof and surrounding thecollar in a plane transversely of its axis in resilient pressureengagement withthe bolt, and means extending inwardly from the ringthrough the lateral opening of the collar and maintained by the springring in resilient pressure engagement with the bolt and itself acting toretain the spring ring in permanently assembled non-rotatable relationwith the nut, said ring being distortable solely by exteriorly appliedcompression to relieve the bolt of nut-locking pressure engagement ofthe tongue to permit facile rotation of the nut on .the bolt.

8. For use upon a threaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut formed with anelliptical collar for pressure engagement with the bolt at pointsaligned with the short diameter of the collar, and an elliptical springring having its long diameter of a length less than. the diameter of thenut so as not to project radially beyond the nut and interlockedinseparably with the nut for rotation therewith but not independentlythereof and fitted around the collar in resilient pressure engagementtherewith at points aligned withits short diameter and at such pointseffecting a nut-locking pressure engagement of the collar with the bolt,said spring ring being distortable solely by exteriorly appliedcompression at spaced. points aligned with its long diameter to relievethe collar of said nut-locking pressure engagement with the bolt andpermit facile adjustment of the nut on the bolt, intervening spacesbeing provided between the spring ring and the collar at the longdiameter of the collar to permit said distortion of the spring ring.

9. For use upon a threaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut formed with anelliptical collar for pressure engagement with the bolt at pointsaligned with the short diameter of the collar, and a spring ring of adiameter less than that of the nut so as not to project radially beyondthe nut, said ring being arranged around the collar and interlockedinseparably with the nut for rotation therewith but not independentlythereof and in resilient pressure engagement with the collar at pointsaligned with the short diameter of the collar and effectingat suchpoints a nut-locking pressure engagement of the collar with the bolt,intervening spaces being provided between the spring ring and the collarat points aligned with the long diameter of the collar and said springring being distortable solely by exteriorly applied compression atspaced points into said spaces to relieve the collar of said nut-lockingpressure engagement with the bolt and permit facile rotation of the nuton the bolt.

10. For use on a threaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut formed with anelliptical collar for pressure engagement with the bolt at pointsaligned with the short diameter of the collate and an elliptical-springring having its long diam eter of a length less than the diameter of thenut so as not to project radially beyond the nut and interlockedinseparably with the nut for rotation therewith but not independentlythereof and fitted around the collar in spaced relation thereto atpoints aligned with its long diameter and in resilient pressureengagement with thecollar at points aligned with its short diameter andeffecting at such points a nut locking pressureengagement of the collarwith the bolt, the ring being distortable solely by exteriorly appliedcompression into the spaces aligned with the long diameter of the collarand thereby relieving the bolt of said nut-locking pressure engagementof the collar and permitting facile adjustment of the nut on the bolt.

11. For use with a threaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut withdiametrically opposed spaced tongues inwardly and outwardly movabletoward and from the bolt for pressure engagement therewith, and acontinuous substantially circular ring of a diameter less than that ofthe nut so as not to project radially beyond the nut, said ring being inresilient pressure engagement with the tongues and effecting anut-locking pressure engagement of the tongues with the bolt forresisting rotation. of the nut on the bolt, there being spaces betweenthe tengues and the ring extending through an arc of approximately 99 topermit distortion of the ring inwardly into such spaces solely byexteriorly applied compression to relieve the bolt of the nut-lockingpressure of the tongues and permit facile rotation of the nut on thebolt.

12. For use with a threaded bolt, a ccacting threaded nut whereon arecarried a plurality of circumferentially spaced tongues having freeportions movable toward and from the bolt for pressure engagementtherewith, the distance outwardly from the nut axis to each tongue beingdecreased toward its free end, and a continuous spring ring of adiameter less than that of the nut so as not to project radially beyondthe nut and interlocked inseparably with the nut for rotation therewithbut not independently thereof, and surrounding the collar and inpressure engagement with said tongues and effecting a nut-lockingpressure engagement of the tongues with the bolt for resisting rotationof the nut on the bolt, said ring being distortable solely by exteriorlyapplied compression into spaces between said tongues for relieving thebolt of the nut-locking pressure of said tongues to permit facilerotation of the nut on the bolt.

13; For use upon a threaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut formed with anelliptical collar through which are spaced openings defining tonguesmovable inwardly and outwardly toward and from the bolt for pressureengagement therewith, and an elliptical spring ring having its longdiameter of a length less than the diameter of the nutso as. not toproject radially beyond the nut and interlocked inseparably with the nutfor rotation therewith but not independently thereof, and fitting aroundthe collar in spaced relation thereto at points aligned with its longdiameter and in resilient pressure engagement with the tongues at pointsaligned with its short diameter and effecting at the latter points anutlocking pressure engagement of the tongues with the bolt forresisting rotation of the nut on the bolt, the ring being distortablesolely by exteriorly applied compression into said spaced openings. torelieve the tongues of the pressure engagement of the spring ring andthe bolt of the nut-locking pressure engagement of the tongues to permitfacile rotation of the nut on the bolt.

14. For use with a threaded bolt, a coacting threaded nut formed with acollar having a portion movable inwardly and outwardly to and from thebolt for pressure engagement therewith, and a substantially circularring of a diameter less than that of the nut so as not to projectradially beyond the nut and surrounding the collar and interlockedinseparably with the nut for rotation therewith but not independentlythereof, and in resilient pressure engagement with said bolt-engagingportion of the collar and effecting a nut-locking pressure engagement ofthe same with the bolt for resisting rotation of the nut on the bolt,intervening spaces being provided between the collar and the ring atpoints spaced from the bolt-engaging portion of the collar and the ringbeing distortable inwardly into said intervening spaces solely byexteriorly applied compression to relieve the bolt of the nut-lockingpressure of the bolt-engaging portion of the collar to permit facilerotation of the nut on the bolt.

ORRIN D. GRAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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